Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Many people have bleeding gums, and they don’t
think twice about it. They view it as a minor inconvenience. If you were
bleeding from any other part of your body, you wouldn’t hesitate to see a
physician. If you lost a body part you wouldn’t hesitate to have it replaced.
We have 32 teeth - they are all body parts.

While we may not need our teeth to live like one needs a heart,
we need our mouth to be pain-free and functional to enjoy a good quality of
life.This is our passion. Make it yours and the rest will fall into place.
Call and ask us how we may help you achieve your oral hygiene and health goals
and ensure a greater quality of life.

But like exercising, dieting or anything that requires a
routine, many of us fall short of a sustained effort to accomplishing long-term
results. Why do we run out of toothpaste, floss, toothbrushes vitamins, etc.
when we know their importance? Why do we have problems maintaining an oral
hygiene regimen? Perhaps, we don’t make the answers priorities.

Call (757) 229-1224 today to schedule an appointment with one of our hygienists.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

How we look and how we perceive ourselves has much to do with
our self-esteem. When the color of our teeth makes us embarrassed to smile,
it’s probably time to get our teeth whitened [bleached].

As one ages, teeth may darken from coffee, tea, smoking, berries and other
substances that get into microcracks in the enamel causing discoloration. Some
people have gray or brown bands on their teeth caused by an early childhood
fever or tetracycline medication taken when the tooth enamel was forming. In
some parts of the country where fluoride is found in natural high
concentrations in the drinking water, individuals have developed teeth with
bright white patches or dark brown blotches [mottled enamel or fluorosis]. Everyone is not a candidate for bleaching. Teeth discolored from aging have the
best results. If you have tooth colored resin or composite fillings in your
front teeth, they will not change color from bleaching and will “stick out like
a sore thumb” after the procedure. If you would like to have your teeth
whitened, call it to our attention at your next check-up visit. If you are not
a good candidate, we can suggest alternatives such as bonding or porcelain
veneers.

There are various options to whitening your teeth. Bleaching can be an
in-office procedure [chairside]. It may involve several appointments of 30-60
minutes each. The bleaching agent is applied to your teeth and activated with a
special light. There is also an at-home procedure wherein you will wear a
custom-made mouthguard, filled with a bleaching gel, as per instructions from
your dentist. Some toothpastes have added whitening agents and can be used as
an adjunct to the other two procedures. In any case, there is no reason to ever
again suffer the embarrassment of discolored teeth.

This is the Best Holiday gift idea! Call our office today to get your friend or family members Whitening Gift Certificate.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The single biggest source of calories [7%] in the American diet
is from carbonated soft drinks. A carbonated beverage is one that releases
carbon dioxide in normal atmospheric pressure. Artificial carbonation was first
introduced in 1767 and after 1830, the sweetened and flavored lemon-lime, grape
and orange carbonated drinks became very popular. Today, heavily sweetened,
carbonated drinks or sodas are among the most popular beverages in the world.
Consumption of carbonated soft drinks peaked in 1998 when consumption was 56.1
gallons per person per year. Soft drinks provide large amounts of sugar [mostly
high-fructose corn syrup] to many individual's diets. The empty calories of
soft drinks contribute to health problems, particularly obesity and tooth decay
[caries]. A study from Harvard shows that soft drinks may be responsible for
the doubling of obesity in children over the last 15 years.

Carbonated soft drinks not only have a high sugar content that
contributes to tooth decay but also have a very acidic pH that can erode tooth
enamel. Some of these drinks, especially the colas have as much caffeine as a
cup of coffee and can disrupt children's or adult's sleep and leave them
feeling tired during the day.

These carbonated soft drinks are also related to gastric
distension, which can trigger reflux. Studies show the consumption of one can
of soda a day corresponds to 53.5 minutes of elevated acid levels in the
stomach.

The best approach is to cut down or avoid carbonated drinks.
Many schools have removed the soft drink vending machines in their halls and
cafeterias. If not, it's best to drink through a straw so the soda is swallowed
from the back of the mouth and does not come in contact with the teeth causing
decay. Substitute other beverages such as water and more nutritious beverages
like milk and juices.

About Me

With over 20 years of creating smiles, we are proud to provide gentle, family-oriented dental care to the adults and children of our community. We are located in Williamsburg, just minutes from York county, Toano, Denbigh/Newport News and surrounding areas.